Regional Economy
2010 Census Population & Demographics for the North Shore
In 2010, the North Shore population was 409,411 which is 6.25% of the Massachusetts population. The table below shows population totals, racial demographics, and the percent of the population that is Hispanic or Latino.
Additional population data can be found on the US Census Bureau's web site.
| 2010 Census | Total Population | White | Black or African American | American Indian and Alaska Native | Asian | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | Some Other Race | Two or More Races: | % Hispanic or Latino |
Massachusetts |
6,547,629 |
80.4% |
6.6% |
0.3% |
5.3% |
0.0% |
4.7% |
2.6% |
9.6% |
North Shore |
409,411 |
84.6% |
4.2% |
0.3% |
3.1% |
0.0% |
5.4% |
2.4% |
11.0% |
Beverly |
39,502 |
93.3% |
1.6% |
0.2% |
1.7% |
0.1% |
1.5% |
1.6% |
3.5% |
Danvers |
26,493 |
95.2% |
1.1% |
0.1% |
1.9% |
0.0% |
0.7% |
1.0% |
2.3% |
Essex |
3,504 |
97.2% |
0.3% |
0.1% |
1.0% |
0.0% |
0.2% |
1.1% |
1.3% |
Gloucester |
28,789 |
95.7% |
0.8% |
0.1% |
0.9% |
0.1% |
1.0% |
1.3% |
2.7% |
Hamilton |
7,764 |
92.4% |
0.6% |
0.2% |
5.4% |
0.0% |
0.3% |
1.1% |
1.6% |
Ipswich |
13,175 |
95.9% |
0.5% |
0.2% |
1.3% |
0.0% |
0.7% |
1.4% |
1.8% |
Lynn |
90,329 |
57.6% |
12.8% |
0.7% |
7.0% |
0.1% |
16.8% |
5.0% |
32.1% |
Lynnfield |
11,596 |
94.7% |
0.5% |
0.0% |
3.3% |
0.0% |
0.4% |
1.0% |
1.7% |
Manchester |
5,136 |
97.6% |
0.1% |
0.2% |
0.9% |
0.0% |
0.1% |
1.1% |
1.5% |
Marblehead |
19,808 |
96.4% |
0.8% |
0.1% |
1.0% |
0.0% |
0.6% |
1.2% |
2.1% |
Middleton |
8,987 |
89.7% |
2.3% |
0.5% |
2.3% |
0.0% |
3.4% |
1.8% |
7.1% |
Nahant |
3,410 |
96.5% |
0.5% |
0.1% |
1.7% |
0.0% |
0.6% |
0.7% |
1.5% |
Peabody |
51,251 |
90.4% |
2.4% |
0.2% |
1.9% |
0.0% |
3.6% |
1.6% |
6.3% |
Rockport |
6,952 |
97.0% |
0.6% |
0.1% |
0.8% |
0.1% |
0.3% |
1.1% |
1.6% |
Salem |
41,340 |
81.5% |
4.9% |
0.4% |
2.6% |
0.1% |
7.0% |
3.4% |
15.6% |
Saugus |
26,628 |
91.9% |
2.1% |
0.1% |
2.7% |
0.0% |
1.6% |
1.6% |
4.0% |
Swampscott |
13,787 |
94.6% |
1.2% |
0.1% |
1.9% |
0.0% |
0.7% |
1.4% |
2.6% |
Topsfield |
6,085 |
96.8% |
0.5% |
0.1% |
1.3% |
0.0% |
0.3% |
1.1% |
1.8% |
Wenham |
4,875 |
95.8% | 0.6% | 0.1% | 1.7% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.9% |
2000 - 2010 Population & Demographic Percent Change
The North Shore population grew by 4,548, from 404,863 in 2000 to 409,411 in 2010, which is a growth of 1.1% During this period, the Massachusetts population grew by 198,532, from 6,349,097 in 2000 to 6,547,629 in 2010, which is a growth of 3.1%. The table below shows the percent change from 2000 to 2010 in the population, racial demographics, and in the Hispanic or Latino population.
Additional population data can be found on the US Census Bureau's web site.
| 2000-2010 Census Population & Demographic Change | Total Population | White | Black or African American | American Indian and Alaska Native | Asian | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | Some Other Race | Two or More Races: | % Hispanic or Latino |
| Massachusetts | 3.1% | -4.1% | 1.2% | 0.1% | 1.6% | 0.0% | 0.9% | 0.3% | 2.8% |
| North Shore | 1.1% | -4.5% | 1.2% | 0.1% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 2.2% | 0.4% | 4.7% |
| Beverly | -0.9% | -2.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| Danvers | 5.1% | -2.5% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1.5% |
| Essex | 7.3% | -1.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.6% | 0.4% |
| Gloucester | -4.9% | -1.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 1.3% |
| Hamilton | -6.6% | -1.8% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 0.0% | -0.1% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Ipswich | 1.4% | -1.7% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Lynn | 1.4% | -10.3% | 2.2% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 7.0% | 0.2% | 13.7% |
| Lynnfield | 0.5% | -2.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 1.3% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| Manchester | -1.8% | -1.3% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Marblehead | -2.8% | -1.2% | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Middleton | 16.1% | -5.7% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 3.1% | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Nahant | -6.1% | -0.6% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.1% | 0.1% | -0.1% | 0.5% |
| Peabody | 6.5% | -3.5% | 1.4% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 1.8% | -0.2% | 2.8% |
| Rockport | -10.5% | -0.7% | 0.4% | -0.1% | 0.4% | 0.1% | -0.2% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Salem | 2.3% | -3.9% | 1.8% | 0.2% | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 4.4% |
| Saugus | 2.1% | -5.4% | 1.6% | 0.1% | 1.5% | 0.0% | 1.3% | 0.9% | 3.0% |
| Swampscott | -4.3% | -2.8% | 0.5% | 0.0% | 1.2% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 1.3% |
| Topsfield | -0.9% | -1.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.0% | -0.1% | 0.4% | 1.0% |
| Wenham | 9.8% | -2.0% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.1% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 1.4% |
North Shore Labor Force & Unemployment
Labor force and unemployment data for the North Shore is shown below. As of November 2011, the unemployment rate on the North Shore was 6.2% which is less than the Massachusetts rate of 7.3%. Since November 2010, the number of unemployed workers on the North Shore has decreased 20%.
Additional labor force data for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
| North Shore Workforce Investment Area (WIA) | ||||||
| Month | Year | Labor Force | Employed | Unemployed | North Shore Unemployment Rate (Not Seasonally Adjusted) | Massachusetts Unemployment Rate (Seasonally Adjusted) |
| November | 2011 | 217,745 | 204,268 | 13,477 | 6.2 | 7.3 |
| October | 2011 | 218,406 | 204,019 | 14,387 | 6.6 | 7.3 |
| September | 2011 | 216,673 | 201,561 | 15,112 | 7 | 7.3 |
| August | 2011 | 219,179 | 204,756 | 14,423 | 6.6 | 7.4 |
| July | 2011 | 217,770 | 202,004 | 15,766 | 7.2 | 7.6 |
| June | 2011 | 218,483 | 202,380 | 16,103 | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| May | 2011 | 214,915 | 199,854 | 15,061 | 7 | 7.6 |
| April | 2011 | 216,397 | 201,147 | 15,250 | 7 | 7.8 |
| March | 2011 | 217,900 | 201,157 | 16,743 | 7.7 | 8.0 |
| February | 2011 | 217,206 | 199,479 | 17,727 | 8.2 | 8.2 |
| January | 2011 | 217,700 | 199,374 | 18,326 | 8.4 | 8.3 |
| December | 2010 | 217,804 | 201,234 | 16,570 | 7.6 | 8.3 |
| November | 2010 | 218,343 | 201,495 | 16,848 | 7.7 | 8.3 |
Unemployment Insurance Claimants
The number of initial & total unemployment insurance claimants for the Fiscal Years 09, 10, 11 are shown below. In June 2011, there were 1,788 initial UI Claimants which is an increase of 7.97% from May 2011. The total number of UI claimants has decreased from 5,006 in May 2011 to 4,886 in June 2011, this is a decrease of 2.4%.
Click Here for: Unemploment Insurance Claimants information with detailed occupational and industrial information for June 2011.
Click Here for: Average Monthly Unemployment Insurance Claimants comparison from FY 2008 to FY 2011 with detailed occupational and industrial information.
Additional Unemployment Insurance for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
The North Shore had a 1st Quarter average monthly employment of 161,043 which is 5.2% of the Massachusetts employment of 3,109,075 during the same time period. The five largest industries on the North Shore are Health Care and Social Assistance, Retail Trade, Accommodation and Food Services, Manufacturing, and Education. Together these industries employ 103,517 workers and account for 64% of the total North Shore Employment.
Click here to view our: Labor Market Blueprint
Additional Industrial data for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
| 1st Quarter 2011 Monthly Industrial Averages | ||||
| Number of Establishments | Average Employment |
Average Weekly Wage | ||
| Total, All Industries | 12,415 |
161,043 | $914 | |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting | 106 |
324 | $685 | |
| Mining | 4 |
37 | $1,240 | |
| Construction | 1,221 |
5,649 | $1,105 | |
| Manufacturing | 477 |
16,839 | $1,613 | |
|
320 |
12,756 | $1,766 | |
|
157 |
4,083 | $1,134 | |
| Utilities | 23 |
781 | $1,661 | |
| Wholesale Trade | 694 |
6,005 | $1,349 | |
| Retail Trade | 1,646 |
24,828 | $526 | |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 244 |
2,889 | $965 | |
| Information | 205 |
3,237 | $1,101 | |
| Finance and Insurance | 543 |
5,719 | $1,659 | |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 360 |
1,821 | $930 | |
| Professional and Technical Services | 1,424 |
7,856 | $1,391 | |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 64 |
1,460 | $2,916 | |
| Administrative and Waste Services | 667 |
6,175 | $613 | |
| Educational Services | 183 |
16,295 | $834 | |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,089 |
31,159 | $843 | |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 236 |
2,442 | $488 | |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 1,030 |
14,396 | $323 | |
| Other Services, Ex. Public Admin | 2,034 |
7,795 | $403 | |
| Public Administration | 165 |
5,335 | $1,067 | |
The selection of critical industries was based on the following factors:
• Number of jobs
• Skill and education requirements
• Wage levels of critical occupations
• Career ladder opportunities
• Projections of future employment opportunities
Based on these criteria, four industries stood out as critical drivers of labor market
demand, providers of employment paying sustainable wages, and offering career ladder
opportunities on the North Shore.
• Construction
• Financial Services
• Health Care
• Durable Goods Manufacturing
Among these four industries, there are high levels of current employment and a history
of relatively high levels of employment in the region. There is a consistent demand for
replacement jobs in each of these four industries.
Health Care and Social Assistance
Health Care is the largest employer on the North Shore. Health Care and Social Assistance employment has grown 31.2% from 23,746 in 2001 to 31,159 in the 1st Quarter 2011. Job growth in the Health Care industry has primarily been driven by two factors: increased demand for technical skills and the aging of the population. Counteracting these factors has been a trend toward financial control, driven by consolidation and payer policies. In the North Shore, Health Care employment is concentrated in three sectors: Ambulatory Services (primarily offices of physicians and dentists), Hospitals, and Nursing and Residential Care Facilities.
| 1st Q 2011 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 1,089 | 31,159 | $843 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | 703 | 11,578 | $994 |
| Hospitals | 10 | 8,562 | $981 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | 177 | 7,419 | $617 |
| Social Assistance | 199 | 3,600 | $493 |
Financial Services is a significant employer in the North Shore, employing 7,540 people
in the 1st Quarter 2011. This is an decrease of 2.9% from 2001, when the industry employed 7,764 workers in the region. The Financial Services industry is divided between Finance and Insurance, employing 5,719 people, and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing, which employed 1,821 workers in the 1st Quarter 2011.
| 1st Q 2011 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment |
Average Weekly Wage | |
Financial Activities |
903 | 7,540 | $1,483 |
| Finance and Insurance | 543 | 5,719 | $1,659 |
| Credit Intermediation & Related Activity | 223 | 3,241 | $1,630 |
| Financial Investment & Related Activity | 122 | 542 | $2,546 |
| Insurance Carriers & Related Activities | 193 | 1,913 | $1,470 |
Funds, Trusts & Other Financial Vehicles |
5 | 23 | $498 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 360 | 1,821 | $930 |
| Real Estate | 302 | 1,196 | $862 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 55 | 343 | $580 |
Manufacturing is probably the most controversial selection as a critical industry. However, the region still
employs over 16,000 workers, with over 12,000 in the Durable Goods Manufacturing portion of the industry; this meets the size criterion for critical industry employment.
| 1st Q 2011 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
| Manufacturing | 477 | 16,839 | $1,613 |
Durable Goods Manufacturing |
320 | 12,756 | $1,766 |
Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing |
157 | 4,083 | $1,134 |
| Food Manufacturing | 42 | 2,188 | $1,081 |
| Beverage & Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 4 | 38 | $666 |
| Textile Mills | 3 | 20 | $1,682 |
| Textile Product Mills | 14 | 71 | $874 |
| Apparel Manufacturing | 3 | 4 | $352 |
| Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing | 8 | 117 | $652 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 7 | 28 | $1,066 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 3 | 105 | $689 |
| Printing and Related Support Activities | 37 | 281 | $857 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 25 | 1,016 | $1,466 |
| Plastics & Rubber Products Manufacturing | 14 | 231 | $1,093 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Mfg | 10 | 35 | $631 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 127 | 1,926 | $1,125 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 37 | 2,873 | $2,483 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Mfg | 47 | 2,544 | $1,757 |
| Electrical Equipment and Appliances | 13 | 1,030 | $1,678 |
| Furniture and Related Product Mfg | 24 | 156 | $751 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 36 | 673 | $1,010 |
Construction has long been a steady employer of North Shore residents. Between 2001
and the 1st Quarter 2011, construction employment in the North Shore Workforce Investment Area has
decreased by 10.3%, from 6,301 to 5,649 workers.
| 1st Q 2011 Monthly Industrial Averages | |||
| Number of Establishment | Employment | Average Weekly Wage | |
| Construction | 1,221 | 5,649 | $1,105 |
| Construction of Buildings | 326 | 1,324 | $1,241 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 60 | 882 | $1,277 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 835 | 3,443 | $1,009 |
Top 25 Occupations on the North Shore, May 2010
The top 25 occupations on the North Shore are shown below along with the median, entry, and experienced level wages.
Additional occupational data for the North Shore can be found on the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) Economic Data web site.
| Rank | Occupation Title | Employment | Annual Wage | ||
| Median | Entry | Experienced | |||
1 |
Retail Salespersons | 7,570 | $22,599 | $18,248 | $33,722 |
2 |
Cashiers | 5,540 | $21,255 | $18,325 | $25,062 |
3 |
Waiters and Waitresses | 4,560 | $23,998 | $19,395 | $33,885 |
4 |
Registered Nurses | 3,500 | $70,333 | $55,329 | $81,826 |
5 |
Combined Food Preparation and Serving Workers, Including Fast Food | 3,410 | $19,366 | $18,514 | $21,883 |
6 |
Office Clerks, General | 3,220 | $33,715 | $23,557 | $38,312 |
7 |
Stock Clerks and Order Fillers | 2,990 | $23,207 | $18,982 | $30,960 |
8 |
Customer Service Representatives | 2,620 | $33,443 | $24,274 | $40,119 |
9 |
General and Operations Managers | 2,510 | $92,156 | $57,476 | $133,416 |
10 |
Home Health Aides | 2,450 | $25,218 | $22,302 | $27,099 |
11 |
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,280 | $38,816 | $29,329 | $45,325 |
12 |
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,260 | $26,593 | $21,567 | $31,784 |
13 |
Teacher Assistants | 2,190 | $26,315 | $19,535 | $31,748 |
14 |
Packers and Packagers, Hand | 1,970 | $22,048 | $18,741 | $31,360 |
15 |
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,900 | $54,386 | $39,900 | $64,279 |
16 |
Secretaries, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,780 | $36,525 | $26,060 | $42,454 |
17 |
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,740 | $62,171 | $44,638 | $68,761 |
18 |
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers | 1,700 | $42,330 | $28,651 | $56,389 |
19 |
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Vocational Education | 1,600 | $61,953 | $45,561 | $69,635 |
20 |
Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,560 | $45,080 | $33,326 | $54,692 |
21 |
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,550 | $26,970 | $20,556 | $31,998 |
22 |
Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants | 1,430 | $28,029 | $23,963 | $30,736 |
23 |
Cooks, Restaurant | 1,420 | $25,530 | $20,042 | $28,955 |
24 |
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 1,420 | $19,012 | $18,172 | $22,932 |
25 |
Receptionists and Information Clerks | 1,320 | $28,475 | $21,061 | $33,098 |
Occupational Vacancies in Massachusetts, 2nd Quarter 2010
The top 20 occupational vacancies Massachusetts are presented below. This information is based on the Massachusetts Job Vacancy Survey from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
| Occupation Title | North Shore | Massachusetts | ||
| Employment 2010 | Median Wage | Number of Vacancies | Job Vacancy % | |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,570 | $22,599 | 3,776 | 3.7% |
| Waiters & Waitresses | 4,560 | $23,998 | 3,504 | 6.0% |
| Cashiers | 5,540 | $21,255 | 2,851 | 3.7% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,500 | $70,333 | 2,234 | 2.7% |
| Combined Food Prep & Serving Workers | 3,410 | $19,366 | 2,002 | 3.5% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,620 | $33,443 | 1,648 | 3.1% |
| Home Health Aides | 2,450 | $25,218 | 1,518 | 8.6% |
| Counter Attendant, Cafe, Food, Coffee | 360 | $22,146 | 1,297 | 8.8% |
| Stock Clerks & Order Fillers | 2,990 | $23,207 | 1,080 | 2.6% |
| Landscaping & Groundskeeping Worker | 780 | $27,666 | 1,066 | 5.6% |
| All Other Computer Specialists | *** | *** | 1,057 | *** |
| Computer Software Engineers, Applications | *** | *** | 953 | 4.4% |
| Executive Secretaries & Administrative Assistants | 1,560 | $45,080 | 950 | 2.4% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 1,420 | $25,530 | 945 | 4.0% |
| Laborers & Freight, Stock, & Material Movers | 1,550 | $26,970 | 920 | 2.9% |
| Nursing Aides, Orderlies, & Attendants | 1,430 | $28,029 | 774 | 1.8% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 1,250 | $22,097 | 761 | 3.3% |
| Financial Managers | 640 | $89,090 | 723 | 3.9% |
| Recreational Protective Service Workers | *** | *** | 676 | *** |
| Receptionists & Information Clerks | 1,320 | $28,475 | 610 | 3.0% |